NRE vs NRO — videsh me rehne wala har Indian is sawaal se takraata hai: paisa Bharat me NRE account me rakhein ya NRO me? Dono INR me chalne wale accounts hain, dono NRI khol sakta hai — lekin tax treatment, repatriation (paisa wapas videsh bhejna) aur istemal ke niyam bilkul alag hain. Galat account me paisa daalna FEMA violation tak ho sakta hai, isliye farq samajhna zaroori hai.
Seedhe shabdon me: NRE (Non-Resident External) videsh ki kamai Bharat me rakhne ke liye hai — tax-free aur poori tarah repatriable. NRO (Non-Resident Ordinary) Bharat me hone wali income (kiraya, dividend, pension) ke liye hai — taxable aur repatriation me limit hai.
NRE Account: Tax-Free Interest, Full Repatriation
NRE account ki sabse badi khaasiyat:
- Interest poori tarah TAX-FREE hai Bharat me (Income-tax Act ki Section 10(4) ke tahat), jab tak account holder FEMA ke tahat non-resident hai.
- Principal + interest, dono freely repatriable — koi limit nahi, jitna chahein videsh bhej sakte hain.
- Sirf videsh se aaye paise se fund hota hai (foreign currency remittance) — Bharat me kamaya hua paisa NRE me nahi daal sakte; woh FEMA violation hoga.
- Dono accounts INR-denominated hain.
Real-number example: ₹20,00,000 ki FD, 7% saal-dar, NRI 30% slab me (1 saal):
- Saal-bhar ka byaaj = 20,00,000 × 0.07 = ₹1,40,000
- NRE FD: tax = ₹0 → haath me poore ₹1,40,000 (aur poori rakam videsh bhej sakte hain)
NRO Account: Bharat Ki Income Ke Liye, Tax Ke Saath
NRO account Bharat-source income ke liye bana hai — ghar ka kiraya, shares ka dividend, pension, property sale proceeds. Iske niyam:
- Interest taxable hai slab rate par. Bank FD/savings ke byaaj par 30% + surcharge + 4% cess ka TDS kaat leta hai — ₹50 lakh tak ki income par effective rate 31.2% banta hai. (DTAA/TRC + Form 10F hone par kam rate possible hai.)
- Repatriation limit: USD 1 million per financial year — aur sirf tax chukane ke baad. Iske liye Form 15CA (online declaration) + Form 15CB (CA certificate) mandatory hai. Yeh combined cap hai — NRO se videsh bhejna aur NRO se NRE me transfer, dono isi limit me gine jaate hain.
- NRO me Bharat ki income + videsh se remittance — dono jama ho sakte hain.
Usi example me NRO FD:
- Byaaj ₹1,40,000 par TDS = 30% × 1,40,000 = ₹42,000 + 4% cess ₹1,680 = ₹43,680
- Haath me byaaj = 1,40,000 − 43,680 = ₹96,320
- NRE ka fayda = ₹43,680/saal — sirf sahi account chunne se. (Note: surcharge tabhi jab kul income uske slab cross kare; example me ₹50L tak ki income maani gayi hai.)
Joint Account Rules: NRE Me Sakht, NRO Me Flexible
- NRE: joint account sirf doosre NRI/PIO/OCI ke saath — YA resident close relative ke saath sirf “Former or Survivor” basis par (NRI = former holder, resident sirf survivor ke roop me; matlab resident joint holder NRI ke jeevit rehte operate nahi kar sakta).
- NRO: resident Indian ke saath joint holding zyada flexible hai — “Either or Survivor” bhi allowed hai.
Nomination ke naye niyam NRI accounts par bhi lagte hain:
Wapas India Aane Par Kya Hota Hai
Jab aap permanently India wapas aakar FEMA ke tahat resident ban jaate hain:
- NRE savings account ko Resident savings account me redesignate karna hota hai — NRE status khatm.
- Balance ko RFC (Resident Foreign Currency) account me transfer kar sakte hain — videsh me rakhi savings ke liye.
- FCNR(B) deposits maturity tak contracted rate par chal sakte hain.
Yeh step bhoolna aam galti hai — status badalne par bank ko inform karna aapki zimmedari hai.
NRE vs NRO: Seedhi Tulna
| Pehlu | NRE Account | NRO Account |
|---|---|---|
| Kiske liye | Videsh ki kamai | Bharat ki income (kiraya, dividend, pension) |
| Interest par tax | Bilkul tax-free (s.10(4)) | Taxable — 30% + cess TDS (31.2% effective) |
| Repatriation | Unlimited, free | USD 1M/FY, 15CA + 15CB ke saath |
| Funding | Sirf foreign remittance | Indian income + remittance dono |
| Joint holder | NRI/PIO/OCI; resident close relative sirf Former-or-Survivor par | Resident ke saath flexible (Either-or-Survivor allowed) |
| Wapasi par | Resident account me redesignate | Resident account me convert |
FD ke basic concepts ke liye:
Aam Galtiyan
- Bharat ki income NRE me daalna: Kiraya ya dividend ka paisa NRE me jama karna FEMA violation hai — woh NRO me hi jaana chahiye.
- NRO ka TDS final tax samajhna: 31.2% TDS katne ke baad bhi ITR file karke slab ke hisaab se adjust kar sakte hain — kam slab me refund banta hai.
- $1M limit bhoolna: Badi property sale ke baad poori rakam ek saal me videsh nahi bhej sakte — pehle se plan karein, CA se 15CB karwayein.
- Wapasi par account status na badalna: Resident banne ke baad NRE/NRO ko redesignate karna mandatory hai — der karne par FEMA issue ho sakta hai.
- DTAA ka fayda na uthana: Jis desh me rehte hain, uske saath DTAA hai to Form 10F + TRC se NRO TDS kam ho sakta hai — apne CA se zaroor poochein.
FAQs
Q1. Kya NRI India me normal savings account rakh sakta hai?
Nahi. NRI banne ke baad resident savings account rakhna FEMA ke khilaaf hai — use NRO (ya NRE) me convert/redesignate karna hota hai.
Q2. NRE account ka interest sach me tax-free hai?
Haan — Section 10(4) ke tahat NRE account ka interest Bharat me tax-free hai, jab tak aap FEMA me non-resident hain. (Aapke rehne wale desh ke tax niyam alag ho sakte hain.)
Q3. NRO se ek saal me kitna paisa videsh bhej sakte hain?
USD 1 million per financial year, tax paid hone ke baad, Form 15CA + Form 15CB (CA certificate) ke saath. NRE se koi limit nahi hai.
Q4. Kya maa-baap (resident) ke saath joint NRE account khol sakte hain?
Sirf “Former or Survivor” basis par, aur woh close relative hone chahiye — NRI former holder hoga. Either-or-Survivor NRE me allowed nahi hai.
Q5. PIO/OCI card holder bhi NRE/NRO khol sakta hai?
Haan — NRI ke saath-saath PIO aur OCI holders bhi FEMA ke tahat NRE/NRO account khol sakte hain; videsh me padhne wale students aur seafarers bhi eligible hain.
Yeh sirf jaankari hai, financial advice nahi hai.
Sources: RBI — https://www.rbi.org.in (FEMA/Master Directions on NRI accounts); ICICI Bank NRI banking — NRO TDS 30%+cess guide https://www.icici.bank.in/nri-banking/nriedge/nri-articles/nro-accounts-explained; Income-tax Act Section 10(4); Form 15CA/15CB.